Phantom of the Forest
by Naatta
Summary: What are you? He found himself asking. Her smiled had never wavered, ever steady. She laughed quietly. She turned and walked to the edge of the trees before turning back to him. I am what you make me, my lord.
1. Phantom of the Forest

The Phantom of the Forest

"It's cold." Rin complained, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "Rin is cold."

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Jaken complained. "It's not my fault."

"Rin is COLD!!!" The girl whined, near tears. "Rin wants Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Well, Sesshoumaru-sama has gone to...to...I don't know where he's gone...but he's not here so be quiet!" Jaken yelled. "Oh Sesshoumaru-sama! Why did you leave me with such an annoying ningen brat!!!"

Well, with Rin's inssesant crying and Jaken's complianing, no one really noticed the figure in the shadows.

"Child."

Rin looked up at Jaken, wiping her tears away. "Did Jaken say something to Rin?"

Jaken stopped midsentence and met her teary eyes. "I thought you said something."

They looked at Ah-un (sp?). He was looking out towards the woods.

Following his gaze they could see nothing but woods.

"Child."

There it was again.

"Child...why do you cry?" The voice questioned.

"Rin want her Sesshoumaru-sama..." She sniffled.

A figure moved in the shadows, behind the trees, between them, in front of them, all around.

"Who... who are you?" Rin stuttered.

"I am a phantom. The Phantom. And this is my forest."

"Will the Phantom hurt Rin?"

"No child..." The figure stepped out into the clearing. "...I will not."

Rin gasped. A woman, her face hidden by a mask and a cloak. Her whole body hidden in black shadow, her clothing the same color as her cloak and mask, a dangerous contrast to her white skin.

But her eyes stood out the most. The only color on her whole body. Blue.

The deepest blue in the world. Jewels would beg to be such a color if only to sell a thousand times better than their others. (Hey I'm tying to be descriptive here.)

She moved forward, her smile melting all fear away.

Accept for Jaken that it. "Hold it!"

She stopped, her smile never fading nor flinching.

"Who are you really?"

"I am the Phantom of the forest." She answered matter-of-factly.

"You are no Phantom. You are a ningen wench." Jaken raised his staff ready for an attack. So don't come near us.

She smiled sweetly. She turned to Ah-Un, who had yet to take his eyes off of her, and patted his head, stroking him gently. "Your friend, this Dragon, one of the mightiest mystical creatures in the known world, does not see me as dangerous." She looked back to Jaken. "Do you?"

Jaken huffed and lowered his staff. "I fear no ningen. Escpecially some wenchi like you."

She just smiled, chuckling silently, still stroking Ah-Un, who purred in her hand (if Dragons can), both his heads nipping at on other in a simple fight for attention.

She turned to Rin, her smile still there, and reached into her cloak.

Rin watched as she pulled out a dark, velvety, red cloak from the depths of her darkness.

"Here child." Her voice sang, handing Rin the velvet cloth. "You are cold. May this warm you."

Rin smiled, taking the package, unfolding it and wrapping herself in it's warmth.

When she looked up for the woman she had moved back towards the woods.

"Is the Phantom leaving already?" Rin asked.

The phantom nodded. "I must leave, child. But you will see me again."

Jaken suddenly gave a squak. "I can't see!!! I CAN'T SEE!!!!!!" He screeched, a shadow hovering around his head.

Rin gasped. "What has Phantom done to Jaken?"

The phantom merely smiled, reaching up to her face amd removing her mask. "It is not yet time for him to see my face."

Her voice became very serious then, her eyes changing with emotion. She moved like a phantom she claimed to be, toward the now stunned child.

"Take my mask, child. May you see the world through my eyes with this. And if you ever need me, just put this on, look to the shadows and call my name."

Ah-Un began to hoop and hollar, making quite a racket. Sesshoumaru was returning.

Phantom then moved back to the woods, running between the trees, turning back only once to look at Rin before dissappearing for good. Her cloak running out behind her like a living shadow.

As if on cue, Sesshoumaru dropped from the sky, Jaken's blindness lifted adn Ah-Un settled down.

"S...Seshouamru-sama! A woman! Here! My Lord!" Jaken squaked.

"What are you babbling about Jaken?" Sesshoumaru turned to his now bowing servant, really wanting to squash him right about now.

"Rin and a woman and...and... the phantom."

At her name, Sesshoumaru turn to his ward and his eyes widened at the site of her in a pool of what her thought was blood.

No.

A cloak.

"Where did you get that Rin?" He commanded more than asked.

"The Phantom of the Forest gave it to Rin."The child smiled, wrapping herself up in the access cloak.

"Do not lie Rin." Sesshoumaru stared hard at his ward.

Rin looked up at her father figure, smiling like the Phantom had, then putting on the mask. "Rin does not lie."

There was no lie in her aura. She was telling the truth.

Seshoumaru sniffed the air without moving. But there was no scent of a stranger here.

He looked at Ah-Un. The dragon was staring out into the woods again, where the Phantom had left.

Then, he dissapeared, or at least seemed to dissapear, running like the wind in the direction the dragon was staring.

The trees blurred together as he ran. But still no scent.

He ran for a few more moments until...

There.

Movement to the right.

No the left.

It was fast, whatever it was.

He followed as best he could but it was too fast for even this Sesshoumaru to track very well.

Then it stopped.

Just stopped.

So did he.

The figure in black stood in the now snow covered ground, dead leaves winding around it in the wind, as if possesed.

Then it turned. It faced him, the dark shadows hiding it's eyes.

A woman. He could tell by the curve in the lips as she smiled at him.

He head moved ever so slowing, her eyes seeming to glow, but remain hidden.

"Why do you follow me?" She asked.

He did not answer. Because he had no answer.

Although his face stayed ever froze, inside he was surprised. How could this being move so fast? How could she posses such hidden power yet appear so weak? Was she ningen? Youkai? He could not tell. She had no scent. Why?

"How can you have no scent?" He found himself asking.

"I have no use for one." She answered. He smile never wavering. "But if you wish me to have one, please tell me."

His eyes narrowed. "You mock this Sesshoumaru?"

"No I do not."

There was no lie.

"Who are you?" He asked. Such infintile questions. Why did he keep asking them then? Curiousity?

"I am the Phantom of the Forest." She stated, her smile widening.

"This Sesshoumaru wishes for a name, Phantom."

"Then you have just answered yourself."

He growled. She was beginning to annoy him. "Do not toy with this Sesshoumaru wench."

"I never 'toy' my lord. I am called Phantom because you have called me such."

"Damn it!" He exclaimed, grabbing her arm and bring her closer to him, ready to strangle her neck.

Her hood fell from her face. Dark tendrils spilling over her shoulders in long waves. Eyes piercing his own, freezing him in place.

They stood like that for a moment.

Then another.

And another.

He then released her, as if afraid to touch her.

"What are you?" He found himself asking.

Her smiled had never wavered, ever steady. She laughed quietly.

She turned and walked to the edge of the trees before turning back to him. "I am what you make me, my lord."

With her words still ringing in his ears she smiled. "Return to your ward, Sesshoumaru-sama. The child will begin to miss you."

And she was gone. Just turned, and walk into the forest, dissapearing.

Her pressance still hung in the air, her face branded in his memory until the next time they'd meet.

And they would meet again.

After all, she was the Phantom of the Forest.


	2. Angel of the night

The Phantom of the Forest

Sesshoumaru returned to his ward and servant after a while. For some reason he just hadn't been able to move.

Her face.

It haunted him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin chimed, running to him, hugging his leg. "Did Sesshoumaru-sama meet Phantom-chan?"

"Hai, Rin." He patted her head and lifted her onto Ah-Un. "Let us return home. The day grows to cold to be outside."

"But Rin is no longer cold. Phantom-chan's cloak keeps Rin warm." Rin pushed the mask up on top of her head and smiled at him.

Sesshoumaru could not help but quirk a smile at his ward. She seemed so...regal...like her...

The great lord shook his head. Just because her face, her beauty, huanted his every waking thought doesn't mean he had to think of her all the time, right?

Jaken hopped on the back, behind him, Rin in front, as he grabbed the reins and they headed home.

Phantom watched from a tree top in her forest. She smiled.

"Sesshoumaru..." She murmered into the wind.

Landing softly, no sound at all, she walked, more so floated, through the woods. A mist had begun weave its way through the trees.

Voices in the night.

_Phantom..._ they wispered_...Phantom...PHANTOM!!!_

"I hear you." She answered. "No need to yell my lady..."

_He was here...my son..._

"Yes." She smiled. "He has grown since we last met...He has forgotten me..."

_No...He remembers you...he just doesn't understand yet..._

Phantom looked to the shimmering figure next to her. "It has been too long...he does not remember..."

The shimmer solidified, a woman stood next to her. Her hair shimmered, moonlight waving and floating in some unknown and unfeelable wind. Her golden eyes flickered in the mist. A cresent moon stood out on her ghostly face.

_"Then you must make him remember, Phantom." _ She explained, running a hand down her cheek. _"My angel of the night..."_

Phantom smiled. "Very well my lady...I will do as you reguest."

By now the figure had disappeared, her last words reverberating through the trees.

Phantom reached to her neck, undoing the tie of her cloak letting it fall to the ground.

Wings unfurled, white as unicorn hair, soft as rose petals on water.

"As you request..." She whispered.

_Angel of the night..._


	3. The Forgotten

_Little hands over his eyes. Soft and simple. "Guess who?" A little voice asked._

"_I don't know." He answered. The hands pulled away and he turned around to catch a glimpse of a face, dark eyes and dark curly hair before she vanished in the wind._

"_Have you forgotten me?"_

Sesshoumaru woke then, sitting up in his bed, breathing hard as if he had a hard fun.

It had been a dream.

She had been a dream. But her words echoed in his mind. _"Have you forgotten me?"_

He pivoted his body, feet landing on the cold stone floor and thought about it.

Had it been a dream? Or perhaps a memory? And those eyes. He'd seen them before. Even he, he great Sesshoumaru, could never forget eyes like those.

He stood then, moving the shoji screen and pushing it back. The hallway was empty and silent. Nothing stirred. In the dead of night, all the servants were asleep. If he listened hard enough he could hear Jaken's snoring down in the kitchens. Passed that he heard a giggle.

Moving down the dead halls in silence he moved. A phantom.

This thought stopped him. The Phantom of the Forests. Had such an encounter really happened?

Another giggle.

He brushed his thoughts of phantoms aside until he reached a door. On the other side he could hear two small voices, talking softly as not to be heard and giggling. Who was the other?

He pushed screen open and found Rin, sitting on her bed, facing the darkness of her room, still dressed in that cloak, wearing the Phantom's mask.

She looked at him, pushing the mask up on top of her head. "Sorry if we woke you Sesshoumaru-sama."

We? "There is no one else here Rin." He informed her, moving into the room.

His ward crawled across the bed, knees occasionally catching on the cloak as she moved. "Why not take the cloak off Rin?"

Rin looked at him and smiled. "Rin likes this cloak, Sesshoumaru-sama." She told him, climbing underneath the covers. "Rin never wants to take it off."

He moved into the room, and plucked the mask off her head, laying it on the table next to the bed. "You have been up all night. You will sleep now."

Rin yawned. "But Rin is not sleepy." She lay down on her bed and smiled sleepily at him. "Rin has been up talking to Phantom-chan."

Sesshoumaru paused for a moment, looking down at his ward. "The Phantom was here?"

Rin giggled. "Phantom-chan is still here." She pointed to the darkness. "Phantom-chan is right there."

Sesshoumaru did not turn to look, but let his senses scour the dark corner, sensing nothing. "No one is there, Rin."

Rin giggled sleepily. "Phantom-chan said Sesshoumaru-sama would say that." She curled into a position she liked and closed her eyes, yawning. "Good night, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He patted her head and blew out the small candle next to her bed, letting the room turn completely black. He watched his ward sleep soundly for a moment or two until turning to leave.

"_Have you forgotten me?"_

He stopped and turned to face the empty room.

Nothing.

Where had it come from? He knew he had heard a voice.

He looked to Rin, who was sound asleep. The corner, where there was nothing. And to the dent in the covers of the bed, next to Rin, that had not been there a moment before.


	4. Eyes of a child

It had been weeks since the ohantom had made her pressence known, and Sesshoumaru was still plagued by her face.

Why? He had know idea.

Asleep, awake, at dinner, with Rin, in his study, even fighting his "brother", her face was still there, Why?

Speaking of his half-breed, half-brother, there was something about him that had changed.

His fighting skills were still as pathetic as ever, but something about his aura was different. In his eyes.

Something plagued his brother's mind just as something plagued his.

Perhaps there was a connection?

Maybe.

Perhaps a chat was in order...not that he really wanted anything to do with him...but it seemed like an inevitable feat. Damn.

But enough thought on his brother. More important things needed his attention.

But appearantly interruptions were an unavoidable thing today.

Jaken came squaking into his study not a moment later.

"Sesshoumaru-sama...it is Rin...I believe there is something wrong with her..." The taody croaked.

That got Sesshoumaru's attention.

"Explain."

The toad began to sweat. Nervous? Good. If anything had happened to his ward it would be the toad's death.

"Well...my lord...it's just that...ever since that incident in the forest...she's been acting strangely..."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed.

"She shooes me away while in the garden, telling me she does not need me and no longer plays her 'games' with me, saying she has other things to do, other people to play with."

An eyebrow lifted.

Jaken shifted in place. "She talks to air...speaks with ghosts...and sees what no else can..." Jaken took a long pause.

"And?" Jaken remained silent, which angred Sesshoumaru. "Finish Jaken before I rip out you throat."

Jaken cleared his throat (while he still had one) and shifted from foot to foot. "And..." He looked at the ground. "...She never takes off that mask."

Sesshoumaru was out the door like wind.

Jaken squaked and attempted to follow but found it useless. So he hid. (Coward.)

Sesshoumaru found his ward in the garden. Like Jaken had said, she was sitting on the bench, laughing and talking to air, like someone else was there.

But there was no scent, no other aura. There was nothing there.

Was she crazy? Or just so lonely that she had to make up friends that only she could see because she had none of her own?

When appraoched she just turned to him, her smiling face marred by the insulant mask. But when asked to take it off, she refused, or so he was told.

Well we'll see about that.

He walked into the garden, silently, as not to disturb her.

"Rin."

She turned and smiled. She was still wearing the cloak and mask. She pushed the mask up on top of her head. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" She cried hugging his leg. Nothing out of the ordinary about that.

"Has Sesshoumaru-sama come to play with Rin and Phantom-chan?" Rin looked up into his golden eyes, ever cheerful.

Sesshoumaru stared down at his ward and sniffed. No lie. No falseness in her scent or eyes. She wasn't joking.

He looked up and around the garden. Nothing. Just him and Rin. No one else.

"Phantom is not here Rin."

Rin seemed confused. "Phantom-chan is here." She answered.

"No Rin. She is not. I do not smell her." There was a stern sense to his voice.

"Phantom-chan has no scent. Phantom-chan is a phantom."

Point for Rin.

"Phantom is not here Rin."

"Sesshoumaru-sama is lying." She told him, a tear forming in her eye.

His eyes narrowed. Why did she keep pressing that that woman was here when she clearly was not. "This Sesshoumaru does not lie, Rin."

"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama does lie! Rin can see Phantom-chan!" Her little hands became fists in his pant leg. She looked up him, tears falling freely, it hurt him to see her like this. "Can Sesshoumaru-sama not see Phantom-chan?"

"No."

Her head fell, her eyes hidden. He pulled the mask over her face once again and looked up at him.

His eyes widened.

Her face. She looked just like...

"Then Sesshoumaru-sama is blind." Her voice became very dark, but still held it's sweetness that was Rin. "Sesshoumaru-sama only sees what Sesshoumaru-sama wants to see. Rin sees..."

Her eyes...

"Rin sees what the Phantom sees..."

Rin ran then. She ran away from him.

He let her. He was frozen in place.

Her eyes...

...they were _her_ eyes.

What had happened to his ward? How could she see what he could not see?

She has the eyes of a child, he told himself. That's how.

He left then. He needed to think. He needed eveerything to make sense again.

Like that would ever happen.

Rin ran into another part of the garden and fell to the ground and cried.

Why couldn't her Sesshoumaru-sama not see what she could?

_Because I won't let him_. A voice answered.

Rin looked up to see Phantom sitting on a near by bench. She came and sat next to Phantom.

"Why?"

_Because he does not understand yet. It is not yet time._

Rin took off the mask. Phantom disappeared. She put it back on. Phantom reappeared.

_You see what the phantom sees._

Rin looked at her friend. "Could Sesshoumaru-sama see Phantom-chan with the mask?"

Phantom shook her head. _I gave you the mask, Rin. Your ability to see me is a gift that cannot be shared._

Rin began to cry then. She wanted so much to not be alone.

Phantom stroked her hair and made calming cooing sounds. _You are never alone, Rin. I am here. _

"How long will that be?"

Phantom smiled. _As long as you need me._

It was then that Rin thought of a question she'd never would have thought to ask. "What is Phantom-chan?"

Phantom became very still. _I am the angel of the night._


	5. Old doll

If there was one emotion in the world Sesshoumaru hated it was worry. He sat at his desk in his study, chin resting on his intertwined fingers and stared off deep in thought.

Today was Rin's birthday. She was now 8 human years old. You could see her prancing around in the castle wearing a new kimono he'd had made for her and that ghastly cape and mask, her tuneless singing echoing through the halls.

She was happy to be another year older. One more year closer to being a young woman.

To Sesshoumaru, it was one more year to her inevitable death.

He knew from centuries of living how short the human live span was. It was only a few more decades before her body would wither and turn to dust. Unlike him, who would live till the end of time.

Her death would not bring him sadness. He was too proud for tears. But, although he'd never admit it, he would miss her smiles, her laughter, for one day, like her, they would die.

He had researched ways to try to prolong her life, keep her smiles as long as possible, but found nothing that suited his tastes. Each manner or ritual seemed more gruesome and pain-staking than the last and doing such things for the sole purpose of making her immortal…she'd never forgive him for it.

In the quietness of his study he did a rare thing- he sighed- before rising to his feet and exiting the room. He followed such tuneless music till he reached her room where he stopped just short of entering.

"_Angel of the Castle,_

_sing to me today,_

_sing to me a lullaby,_

_teach me what to say…"_

He'd never heard that song. True, being a child she'd make up random tunes, but this did not sound made up. This sounded…familiar.

"_Angel or the forest,_

_speak of dreams, delight,_

_fly in the sky,_

_on your white wings,_

_my Angel of the night."_

Pushing open the screen he looked to his ward, playing on the floor. She'd drawn the curtains for some strange reason, leaving the room dark and eerie. Her lone, bed-side candle light the room flicking shadows over her small frame. In the light her dark cloak seemed darker, a waning shade somewhere between crimson and black.

This was not his Rin. Her hair had too much curl and was far too long, her voice seemed much more in tune than anything Rin could muster. But the fact that such an imposter was in his house was not what made his heart pause in it's beating but the strange sense of de ja vu.

This had happened before.

This scene had played out in some memory of his, but what memory. Before this moment he had no recollection of something like this ever taking place. He'd walked in on Rin playing dozens of times, even at night, and he'd never gotten such a feeling. So why now?

She stilled, a signal that she'd heard him come in, and turned to face him.

The moment passed as his Rin looked at him with a smiling face. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Letting out a silent breath he looked down at his ward. "Rin, what song were you singing just then?"

Rin turned back to her playing and said happily. "Phantom-chan taught it to Rin."

He paused momentarily, thinking of ways to word his next question. "You saw the Phantom today." More of a statement than a question.

She nodded. "Phantom-chan came to wish Rin a happy birthday and look!" Rin held up the doll she was playing with to her lord's view. "Phantom-chan gave Rin a present!"

Without thought Sesshoumaru took the doll in his hand, turning the fragile porcelain item over for his inspection.

It was a worn toy to be sure as which meant it had belonged to someone before Rin. It's long dark hair and blue eyes seemed to hold a sense of regality to them, as if the doll was proud to be what it was. The kimono dress that had once been shiny and new was now old and tattered, threads sprouting from the seams. But in its age the doll appeared to have whether the years decently. Whoever had owned this doll must have played with it very often.

"It's just an old doll, Rin. You have others." He handed it back.

The little girl pouted. "But this one's special!" She watched him arch an eyebrow in curiosity. "It used to belong to Phantom-chan!"

His brows went from arched to narrowed in annoyance and decided to change the subject. "Why are your curtains closed Rin?"

"Because it makes Rin's room dark like night." She stated simply, stroking the little doll's hair. "Phantom-chan likes the night."

She looked back at him, smiling as always. Sesshoumaru stared back showing no physical expression. Inside, however, a flag of warning went up. For a moment, he could have sworn her eyes had been blue. Mentally he shook his head and left the room, his mind puzzling over what had just happened.

Rin watched the door for a moment before turning back to her doll. "Rin is sorry about Sesshoumaru-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama can't see what Rin sees. She sat for a moment in silence, staring at her doll, stroking its hair before she began to rock back and forth in place, singing her newly-learned tune, cradling her doll in her hands and smiling down at it with big blue eyes.


End file.
